More than 120 people packed McGeorge's largest classroom to hear the discussion.

Same-Sex Marriage Forum Draws Crowd

A standing-room only audience of more than 120 people packed McGeorge's largest classroom on Feb. 5, 2013, to hear a lively panel discussion of the same-sex marriage case that comes before the Supreme Court of the United States later this spring.

Professor Larry Levine and UC Davis Professor Courtney Joslin joined two attorneys involved in the case, Jeremy Goldman (Joslin Boies Schiller & Flexner) and Enrique Monagas (Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher) to discuss the cases' historic importance. Sacramento Lawyers for the Equality of Lesbians and Gays (SacLEGAL) co-sponsored the event along with the Stonewall Democratic Club of Sacramento, the McGeorge Lambda Law Students, and the UC Davis Lambda Law Students. Attorneys Steven Muni and Jinnifer Pitcher, '07, organized the MCLE-accredited program.

The Supreme Court will consider and rule on the much-disputed right to same-sex marriage, when it hears Hollingsworth v. Perry, pertaining to the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, and United States v. Windsor, a constitutional challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

"It's really the civil rights issue of the century," Levine said. "The presentation's goal was to share substantive insight and analysis of the legal issues involved, and we were pleased that such a large audience turned out for the event."

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP sponsored a well-attended reception after the forum that featured Mark Leno (11th Senate District), a San Francisco Democrat and long-time gay rights supporter and leader.